Today is my oldest daughter’s 22nd birthday! Where did the time go? If I had a scanner, I’d put in some OLD pictures! LOL!! Maybe I can get some with the digital later.
Jessica is my right hand girl (well, one of them! 
), but don’t let her sweet, servant-hearted demeanor and ready smile deceive you—she was quite the firecracker when she was younger! We could tell all kinds of "Jessica stories"! (My husband used to entertain a lady at work with daily "Jessica stories"!!!) I was going to send her to Dr. Dobson so he could rewrite his book on The Strong Willed Child–I was convinced he’d never seen one THIS "strong-willed"!!!
Thankfully, we kept at our training (and kept at it, and kept at it….) to where she is a lovely, lovely young woman today! As I think of where I was at 22, she is eons ahead of me!!!
I jokingly tell her, "When I grow up, I want to be like you!"
And for 22 years, we have celebrated her birthday on her day as a family, usually having her party then, too. She loves having her birthday this time of year, but we haven’t been to a candlelight Christmas Eve service since 1985! 
And at that one, I was bawling my heart out because I wanted a child so desperately! How like the Lord to give me, exactly one year later, a beautiful blessing!
I know I speak for all of us (but they can blog about it themselves if they want!), that we all love her VERY MUCH and are so happy and grateful to have her in our family!
Thank you, Lord, for blessing us with Jessica!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JESSICA!!!
May you have a blessed and wonderful day! (It’s already been fun, doing a quick "Christmas run" together!!! )
Jessica and Leah–best friends and sisters!
I lovey you!
We’re friends!!
Love,
Mommy-Dear
she is such a sweet and loving girl! I am blessed by all of your girls and you!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Jessica! I hope she had a wonderful birthday!
HUGS and LOVE!
Amanda
http://superangelsblog.com
I hope she had a grand day. I left her a comment on her bday on the post you did for her.
Blessings!
A happy belated birthday!
She sounds like our Charity. Charity is extremely strong willed! We are hoping she will grow out of it.
LOL- so there is hope for my own strong willed child??
I found you on Jenny's blog (fruitbuns) – congrats on winning the contest, too.
I have added you as a friend, I hope you don't mind.
Blessings!
Vania
Mrs. R.:
We have something in common- I want to be like Jessica when I grow up, too! : D And like you, too. : )
This will sound kind of funny, but here goes. : ) Thank you for continuing to train Jessica (and ALL the girls). : ) She is always an inspiration to me. D and I were talking about how sometimes, when someone is really living like they should, you feel really guilty when they're around. However, being with Jessica simply inspires me to try to do better… to be more Christ-like. And, especially regarding loving my family more. : ) Love you all! God bless!
In Christ,
~DB : )